The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay will any old light switch do?

Got a 58 Chevy 3100 Panel.The light switch is certainly not OEM unless my frame is not original.I am not seeing many OEM colored wires leaving the switch(there are no front leaf spring mounts ,so probly a C10) Anywho,so long as I know what a suitable replacement switch controls,should it be a hassle to send it to the right reciipients?

Switches in general are "dumb"- - - -they don't care what they control. A headlight switch needs two positions- - - -the first click turns on the parking lights and tail lights, and the second position powers the headlights and tail lights. The signal to the headlights actually only supplies power to the dimmer switch, where alternate pushes of the button power either high or low beam, and the Hi beam position also sends voltage to the indicator light in the dash. Either park or headlight position will also power the dash lights, usually with a dimmer rheostat built in to control the brightness. OEM headlight switches and SOME universal replacements will also have a grounding detent as the stem is turned to control a dome light. Other than having a knob that doesn't match original equipment, aftermarket switches should be able to control most, if not all functions of an OEM switch.
Jerry

Jerry is spot on (as usual). If it i not stock now, and you are not trying to return it to stock, you can use whatever headlight switch you want to. (or some other switches if you would rather). I would at least use a headlight switch though so that it works like one would expect.